Tourism Career Development: A Reflective Skills and Competency Plan

This report provides a reflective analysis of personal competencies, skills, and developmental needs for a professional career in the tourism industry. It includes a curriculum vitae, defined career goals, and a chosen role as a travel agent with associated duties. The report identifies existing skills and competencies, such as customer service and cash handling, and outlines learning and development needs, including commercial awareness and fluency in foreign languages. An action plan is presented to improve these skills through specific strategies like news consumption and language practice. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of continuous development and planning for a successful career in the tourism sector. Desklib provides this student-contributed assignment, offering valuable insights, and also hosts a variety of study tools, past papers, and solved assignments.

Tourism Industries

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
To reflect on personal competencies, skills and developmental needs to prepare for a professional
career in tourism industry................................................................................................................1
1) Curriculum Vitae....................................................................................................................1
2) Career goals............................................................................................................................2
3) Role in the tourism industry for the similar kind of career.....................................................3
4) Skills and competencies..........................................................................................................3
5) Learning and developmental needs.........................................................................................4
6) An action plan.........................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Tourism industry is considered as a most important economic sector for all the countries.
As the tourism professionals evident career competencies which could aid them to deal with the
issues which are arising from the individual career ambitions as well as labour market
challenges. In this report, I discuss about the reflective statement on my personal competencies,
skills as well as developmental needs in order to prepare for the better professional career within
the tourism industry. For this I develop a 5 year career plan or action plan of mine by setting
goals, roles, skills and learning requirements.
MAIN BODY
To reflect on personal competencies, skills and developmental needs to
prepare for a professional career in tourism industry.
1) Curriculum Vitae
Personal profile statement
I am an extremely organised, confident and energetic individual and uses my own initiatives in
order to meet highest standards in any situations. I am reliable, hard-working and trustworthy
also which can provide ability to handle all situations with logically, manage pressure, work in
a team oriented environment and encourage customers in order to make purchases. As I have
implemented my employment experience of retail industry in order to develop superb
organisational, selling as well as problem solving skills by being energetic and practical
employee. I am exceptionally encouraged to explore new territories and force present limits in
order to search for sales as well as I enjoy overcoming challenges.
Skills & Attributes
 Fluent in English and Portuguese.
 Good communicational skill.
 Excellent interpersonal skill.
 A well established and incisive organiser.
Education
Escola Miguel Torga: Year 9 in Portgula.
Bsix Brooke House Sixth From College:
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 BTEC Level 1 – Diploma in Health & Social care.
 Level 2 - Maths & English.
 BTEC Level 3 – Diploma in Travel & Tourism management.
London Metropolitan University: Travel & Tourism management student.
Employment
1) Travelodge hotel 2015 – 2017 : Communicating with guest.
Main duties performed:
 Managing till, handling cash & petty cash.
 Offers advices to the customers.
 Handling customers complaints in an effective and polite way.
2) Shake shack 2017 – 2019 : Customer service.
Main duties performed:
 Facilitate excellent customer service
 Serving guest.
 Managing till, handling cash and petty cash.
 Adopting to the ever changing needs of business with a positive attitude.
 Setting up for the next sales intake.
 Responsible for opening.
 Implementing & maintaining highest standards of health and safety.
Interests
 Able to respond to the time frames and deadlines with pace.
 Smartly dressed, presentable and articulate.
 Excellent communication & listening skills in order to ensure effective team work with
colleges.
 Highly organised with the high level of attention to detail.
 Able to get ownership of challenges and to work without any supervision.
2) Career goals
My career goal is to use my entire educational qualification and employment experience
in a well reputed business organisation at a good position which will result in the betterment and
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improvement of mine. I want to develop various skills and knowledge in future which will be
related to my professional career development. Some of my career goals are as follows:
 To build and develop the professional relationships as positive relations may lay the
foundation of success.
 Improve my time and stress management skills which will assist in improving my
efficiency as well as productivity.
 Find some new challenges for getting own success.
 Develop a growth mindset with which I can able to develop my talents throughout my
life.
3) Role in the tourism industry for the similar kind of career
For the future or career I choose “Travel agent” as a job role which is related to plan,
choose as well as arrange the holidays packages for the customers. This kind of job roles
basically offers some advice and opinions on where clients to go as well as local tourist events,
attractions and customs.
Duties includes:
 Effectively dealing with the complaints and queries of customers.
 Recruiting, training as well as supervising staff.
 Manage the budgets.
 Maintain financial records.
 Creates displays and promotional materials.
 Promoting as well as marketing the business.
 Collecting and processing payments.
 Keeping customers up to date with all changes.
 Planning and meeting the sales or profit targets.
4) Skills and competencies
As I have many skills and competencies because I have been working in two most
reputed organisations where I learn many things and developed several sets of skills and
knowledge. I have excellent experience of customer services and serving company's guest
properly. I find out that I am expert in managing till, handling cash and pretty cash because it
was performed by me in both of the organisation where I was working. I have good interpersonal
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skills as well as excellent communication skills that was developed while I have been working in
Travelodge and Shake shack. Some of the skills and competencies are as follows:
 I am passionate for the travel industry.
 I have amazing customer service skill.
 I have wonderful capability to active listening.
 I am very attentive towards the details.
5) Learning and developmental needs
I have to learn something new and develop myself in order to meet the organisational
requirements as a travel agent. This can be enhanced by examining the weak areas of myself by
doing effective skills audit. For the position of travel agent I should need to learn or develop
some more skills which helps in performing my job roles effectively. For identifying the needs of
learning and development I considered the requirements, rating, GAP, strategic actions as well as
deadlines for taking those remedial plans. These can be discussed as follows:
Requirements Personal
Audit
Rating
(Scale 0-10)
GAP Remedial
Actions/Strategy
Deadline for
remedial
actions
Commercially
awareness
6 I did not focus on
knowing about the
market trends related
to tour and travel
industry. This leads
lack of skill in myself
related to the strong
awareness about the
commercial aspects.
I should improve
myself through
reading newspapers
as well as
magazines. Also,
listen news channels
and broadcast
programmes which
emphasise on
business news.
2 months
Fluency in
foreign
languages
5 Lacking of fluency in
oral and written
foreign languages
I should be able to
manage this skill
through the clear
6 months
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leads me back for
accomplishing the
objectives and effect
my professional career.
understanding about
the anxiety which I
had while using
foreign languages.
Also, work out on
that where I get
stuck in my
conversation and
practice over the
period of time.
Organisation
skills
6 I was lacking in
organisational skills
where I found that I
was not able to
organise the details and
workload as a travel
agent. I lacks in
managing multi
tasking and fails to
handle many
customers on a
continuous basis.
I should increase my
organisational skills
by being proactive
and prepare for all
situations in
advance. Also, I
should develop a
proper schedule
which can help in
meeting the all
deadlines.
1 months
6) An action plan
After analysing my own skills and competencies as a strengths and weaknesses I found
that many skills needs to be improved within a certain period of time by making an appropriate
action plan that includes the ways and strategies that will help in improving or developing those
particular skills. It can be discussed in detail as below:
Skills need to be improved Ways to improve skills
Commercially awareness I should listen news and broadcasts along with the regular
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reading of newspapers and magazines that can increase my
awareness about the commercial trends and develop my skill as
well.
Fluency in foreign languages I need to be emphasise on the knowing about the fear of using
foreign languages and work out on the stuck in my conversation
in foreign languages.
Organisation skills I should focus on being proactive and make appropriate lists and
schedules for the task completion that can assist in organising
and managing the tasks in a well manner.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above discussion that the development of skills and
knowledge is essential for every business organisation especially in tourism industry as it helps
in the better professional career of an individual. For the better success and development there is
the requirements of identifying goals, capabilities, skills, responsibilities as well as the needs of
learning and development. After analysing all these things further makes an appropriate action
plan of an individual for the career development. In the action plan discussed about the skills
which needs to be developed along with the ways and strategies for improving these by taking
effective decisions.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Asonitou, S. and Vitouladiti, O., 2017. Core skills as marketing and management tools: evidence
from the tourism sector. In Strategic Innovative Marketing (pp. 45-53). Springer, Cham.
Enoch, M., 2016. Sustainable transport, mobility management and travel plans. Routledge.
Heiskanen, E., Thidell, Å. and Rodhe, H., 2016. Educating sustainability change agents: The
importance of practical skills and experience. Journal of Cleaner Production. 123.
pp.218-226.
Roberts, M., 2018. Travel brokers: The new breed of travel agent. CAUTHE 2018: Get Smart:
Paradoxes and Possibilities in Tourism, Hospitality and Events Education and
Research. p.774.
Vellas, F., 2016. The international marketing of travel and tourism: A strategic approach.
Macmillan International Higher Education.
Wenying, Y.U. and Jingxun, L.I., 2017. Effects of Market Force and Strategic Orientation on
Firm Performance: The Moderating Role of Travel Agency's Marketing Capability.
Tourism Tribune. (12). p.15.
Yeh, C.C., Ku, E.C. and Ho, C.H., 2016. Collaborating pivotal suppliers: Complementarities,
flexibility, and standard communication between airline companies and travel agencies.
Journal of Air Transport Management. 55. pp.92-101.
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APPENDICES
JOB DESCRIPTION
Organisation: ABC Ltd,
Sector: Tourism industry
Designation: - Travel agent
Job Address: England, UK
Job summary
The applicants must be passionate about travelling and able to manage travel requirements
made for holidays. Also, Travel agent will facilitate services and tour packages as well as keep
our customers loyal and satisfied for future services.
Responsibilities
 Plan and sell travel services.
 Facilitate relevant informations, publications and brochures.
 Adopt promotional techniques.
 Handle complaints and issues.
 Attend seminars in order to stay updated with the tourism trends.
Requirements
 Degree or diploma in travel and tourism sector.
 Good knowledge of computer reservation system, e-travelling and GDS systems.
 Strong commercial awareness with the sales skills.
 Sound understanding about the travel trends.
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